Chapter 129: My Money, My Rules

Grandmother spoke coldly.

“Sit down. I have something to say as well.”

The eldest uncle and aunt, along with my aunt, who were about to follow Grandfather, flinched.

But they didn’t stop walking—just wore embarrassed expressions as they asked for understanding.

“We’re sorry, madam. Let’s put out the urgent fire first and talk amongst ourselves later. You understand, right?”

“You heard what Father said earlier, didn’t you? No wonder he kept drinking so much soju.”

“As a daughter-in-law, how could I just watch this situation? I have to comfort his aching heart.”

Looks like everyone’s nerves are shot.

No wonder, since Grandfather’s announcement was no ordinary matter.

It was nothing less than a declaration regarding the next successor of Taeseong Group.

“These people are openly ignoring me now?”

“The future of Taeseong is on the line!”

“So unless it’s about your own future, you’re not even going to pretend to listen to me?”

Now, only Grandmother and my parents were sitting at the table.

“You’re still calling me ‘madam,’ huh?”

No wonder Grandmother’s expression was so twisted.

“Did I really grit my teeth and put up with all this, being called a stepmother, just to see things turn out like this?”

The people who were about to storm out of the dining hall stopped, looking tired.

They seemed desperate, as if they’d been shackled for no reason when they were in a hurry.

Sighs mixed with annoyance, surprise, frustration, and boredom drifted out.

“What’s gotten into you two today?”

“Madam, if you act like this too, we’re really in trouble.”

Grandmother clenched her teeth.

“All this fuss just for the Taeseong Group successor seat? These people have lost their minds over money!”

She gripped the table tightly.

“Does the world think it runs on money alone? Get a grip, you brats! You think you’re the only ones who live without money?”

The sixteen-seater marble table didn’t budge.

It was indeed the finest Italian make, worthy of a chaebol household.

“Sit down!”

“Let’s at least head to the study first…”

“Should I pull all our ads from the Daehan Daily?”

“...!”

The eldest aunt froze on the spot.

So did the eldest uncle, who had been trying to stop her.

“Should I spread those scandal rumors through newspapers and TV? Attend Gukhwa Group’s general meeting?”

“...!”

The second uncle and his wife turned around in shock.

Before Grandmother could even meet my aunt’s eyes, my aunt whipped her short bob around and quickly took a seat.

“Oh my, the cabbage soup is so refreshing today. Seongjun, do you want a rib?”

While picking at the now-cold soup and side dishes, my aunt nonchalantly tucked her hair behind her ear.

Grandmother let out a bitter laugh.

“Should’ve tried threatening you sooner. Sit down!”

“...”

Everyone took their seats.

No one could hide their surprised eyes.

“Fine. I never expected you to call me Mother anyway. Keep calling me madam or whatever you want, I don’t care.”

It was a declaration similar to Grandfather’s, but with a slightly different flavor.

“Instead of playing a half-hearted mother, I’ll just act as the wife of Taeseong Group’s next head from now on.”

“Even madam is saying this now…”

“So you’re saying you won’t bother tiptoeing around, worried about hurting us just because we’re not your children.”

It was a declaration of favoritism.

“No matter how well a stepmother acts, she’s still a stepmother. So from today, I’ve decided to recognize only the dutiful children as my own.”

Grandmother spoke firmly.

“I used to always take your side no matter what, but from now on, I’ll use my shares as I please.”

“...!”

Everyone’s jaws dropped.

Until now, Grandmother hadn’t shown the slightest interest in managing Taeseong Group.

“Do you have any idea how much my share of the Taeseong family is? Even if you count all the stocks under borrowed and fake names?”

“...!”

“How do you think your father, who started out hustling with a cement factory, managed to build up thirty-eight subsidiaries? With what money?”

“...!”

Their eyes rolled around, glancing at one another.

“From now on, every time you talk back, I’ll send a collection notice. Remember that.”

“What?”

“You think Taeseong is the only one who ever used private loans? Did you think I wouldn’t give the in-laws special treatment?”

Grandmother let out a chilling laugh.

“According to my family’s rules, I plan to collect at an annual rate of 67.8%. You’d better get your calculators ready.”

“...!”

She’d never pulled a money stunt like this before.

Grandmother turned to look at my aunt.

My aunt choked on her japchae.

“I heard you sent loads of gifts to Junghyuk and Seongjun’s wives?”

“Ahem! Well, Junghyuk was being so sweet, so I thought I’d repay her with some nice clothes—just a bit of department store shopping…”

“And I heard Woo Gwang Department Store suffered big losses from that. So, how much do you need?”

“What?”

“A hundred million in cash, unsecured, interest-free, with a one-year grace period. How about it?”

“Gasp!”

My aunt dropped her chopsticks, japchae still clinging to them.

Her pupils shook as if an earthquake had hit.

“I didn’t even do anything special—can I really get such a big reward, or, um, loan, just like that?”

“If I feel like it.”

Grandmother snorted.

“Do I have to follow the chairman’s rules and reward you for your merits? My money, my rules.”

“Th-thank you, madam—no, Mother!”

“Oh my, Manyoung’s soup is all cold. Anseong, bring out some fresh soup and japchae for Manyoung!”

It was blatant favoritism.

Obvious discrimination.

Anseong, who had been helping in the kitchen, brought out steaming hot soup and a dish of japchae.

Grandmother scanned the side dishes in front of my aunt.

“Please bring galbijjim, grilled croaker, and shrimp tempura too. And another plate of fruit salad—Manyoung’s favorite.”

They were all my aunt’s favorite dishes.

Everyone stared at the scene in a daze.

“What? You have a problem?”

“This is… honestly a bit bewildering, all of a sudden.”

“You’re not usually the type to blatantly play favorites and draw lines like this, madam.”

Grandmother picked her ear with her pinky.

“Where’s that dog barking from?”

Both daughters-in-law held their breath.

“Madam, why are you suddenly being so petty?”

“Yeah. What did we do so wrong that you have to take it out on us like this…”

“Taking it out on you?”

Grandmother’s eyes blazed.

“You’re the ones who started it, not me, didn’t you?”

“When did we ever?”

“You dragged out the whole Taeseong Chemical affair and hurt an innocent person, didn’t you?”

“Is this all because of the youngest sister-in-law?”

Just as their resentful gazes were about to turn to Mother,

“Starting tomorrow, we’ll pull the Daehan Daily and Taeseong Construction ads. Take note.”

“Madam?”

“Madam? Should I pull Taeseong Chemical and Taeseong Cement ads as well?”

“M-Mother!”

For the first time, the eldest daughter-in-law called her ‘Mother’ instead of ‘madam.’

Grandmother turned sharply to the second daughter-in-law.

“Your father wants to help acquire Taeseong Chemical? Did he ask for that share to be given to you?”

“Well, that’s…”

“Is Gukhwa Group overflowing with money these days? Then you should repay the money you borrowed from our family first.”

“Mother!”

“In one lump sum, including the principal. How’s that?”

The second daughter-in-law’s face turned deathly pale, not that Grandmother cared.

She snorted.

“You say your father-in-law isn’t the kind of man to empty his pockets for a daughter-in-law’s charm? Well, too bad for you—I’m exactly the kind who’ll do it for my daughter-in-law.”

“Mother?”

“As you can see, I’m loaded. Extremely.”

Grandmother gave a rotten smile.

“And my temper’s even nastier. Terribly.”

If she was upset, she’d flip the table.

If it came to it, she’d grab someone by the hair.

If she got angry, she’d splurge money like a maniac—stories like that had been widespread among chaebol wives for ages.

---

The eldest aunt spoke to Mother.

“Sister-in-law, I guess I misunderstood you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s nothing.”

“I also apologize for the slight on New Year’s Day. We’re family now, so let’s get along.”

“Yes, sister.”

It was a handshake fit for kindergarteners making up.

Grandmother watched the daughters-in-law with her arms crossed, then spoke.

“The eldest daughter-in-law is excused from kitchen duty next week.”

“…Thank you, Mother. Thanks, sister-in-law. I’ll make sure to pull some good articles and columns in Taeseong Chemical’s favor—oh, I mean, Woo Gwang Chemical, no, Taeseong Chemical.”

“And you’re off volunteer duty too.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

The eldest aunt let out a long sigh.

“Mother, about the kimchi-making at the end of the month…”

Of course, living as a daughter-in-law meant kimchi duty!

It wasn’t even kimchi season, but as soon as the mother-in-law spoke, the daughters-in-law were conscripted.

“Work is busy, so I might not be able to attend…”

“Fine.”

“Thank you.”

“But let’s call off that plan to give the Myeongdong building to Inkyung.”

“…I’ll find a way to clear my schedule, Mother. It’s kimchi for the whole year—I should be more attentive.”

Until now, Anseong and the kitchen helpers had always handled kimchi-making, but now the daughters-in-law were to be summoned for it.

No one dared to object.

It was something they’d never experienced before.

“The second one doesn’t have anything to say, right? Then the Euljiro property reserved for Yehyuk’s share…”

“If I’d known sister-in-law already secured Taeseong Chemical shares, I wouldn’t have run around like a fool coveting someone else’s. I didn’t know, I only wanted to help Taeseong Group…”

“You sure do talk a lot. I guess Yehyuk’s share…”

“I’m sorry for the insult. It won’t happen again.”

The second aunt looked at Grandmother.

“Then about my kitchen duty two weeks from now…”

“Send regards to your father. What happened at Hanwoojung was most regrettable.”

“…Of course I’ll handle meal prep. And I won’t miss the kimchi-making either.”

“You’re off volunteer duty, too.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

The two daughters-in-law bowed deeply and left without looking back.

The eldest daughter-in-law dragged out her bewildered husband, while the second uncle, after a strange glance at Grandmother, voluntarily followed his wife.

“Mother, what about me…”

“I heard Manyoung took Seongjun’s wife to the department store spa for massages, manicures, and tea together?”

“Yes, but… At the end of this month, it’ll be the special New Year’s sale period at the store, so…”

“I’ll take you off all kitchen duties for the first half of the year.”

“What? But you said there’d be no exceptions…”

“You said the department store is getting busy now, right? You should work even harder then.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Well, just keep getting along that well in the future.”

My aunt beamed.

“Didn’t you know? I really like my youngest sister-in-law. I owe her a huge debt.”

She handed over the shopping bags she’d brought.

“These were for you anyway, Mother. And this one’s for my youngest sister-in-law.”

There was a Louis Vuitton bag and a Prada bag inside.

“Manyoung, you’re off all duties this year.”

“Oh my!”

Grandmother promptly handed the shopping bag to Mother.

“You take it. I have too many bags already.”

“No, Mother, this is a gift from my sister-in-law.”

“Well, about that envelope of money—I’m really sorry about that.”

“That’s the seventh apology for it. We already agreed to put it behind us.”

What?

Wait, when did those two make up?

Why didn’t I know about this?

Mother smiled brightly.

“You thought I was just one of the girls who used to chase after him? That he only felt a little fondness for me?”

“Well, it’s true I gave that envelope to Secretary Kim and told him to pass on the message to stay away.”

Grandmother fidgeted.

“I was planning to give you a building in Myeongdong…”

“It’s fine. I already have more cocoa and chocolate cookies from you than I can handle.”

“But the money envelope…”

“This is the eighth apology. I’m confiscating the money envelope.”

And so, the long, tumultuous family meal finally came to an end.

When Mother and Father left the dining room, Grandmother glanced at the now-empty table.

“Should I just replace this table while I’m at it?”

She muttered to herself.

“Turns out being a ruthless stepmother is exactly my style.”

She laughed, hands on her hips, as if refreshed.

“Life really is all about the carrot and the stick, isn’t it? If I’d known it would feel this good, I would’ve done it ages ago. Junghyuk was right. Ufufufu!”

I also cut off my shared vision with the Grim Reaper and laughed in relief.

“See? Life is all about bribes and threats. Money power is the best. Ufufufu!”

The Grim Reaper was laughing in exactly the same pose as me.

[This is a real-life chaebol soap opera! Reality is the best, it’s thrilling! Ufufufu!]

---

From the next day, Taeseong Group’s executives began moving busily behind the scenes.

It was the fallout from Chairman Cha’s bombshell announcement.

-Ten years from now. I’ll hand over the head position.

-If you’re part of Taeseong, I won’t care about your status, background, or qualifications.

-I’ll pass it to whoever is capable of leading Taeseong.

Not a single executive took Chairman Cha’s words at face value.

‘Would someone who’s always guarded his own children’s bowls so fiercely really change that easily?’

‘Is there even a chaebol in Korea who’d pass on the top seat to an executive? In the end, it’ll be one of his three sons.’

‘Whose side should I take? My future depends on this!’

Thus, the real battle for the next successor had begun.

‘It’s the perfect chance to become one of the top aides!’

‘No one can run a company alone! They’ll be scrambling to gather their own people, so now’s my chance to raise my price!’

‘I’ll prove myself with achievements! I’ve got to make it to president of a subsidiary at least!’

Taeseong Group had always valued ability.

Now, all the ambitious and capable executives turned their eyes to opportunities to prove themselves.

Of course, the fate of the subsidiaries taken from Woo Gwang Group was of utmost interest.

“What? The youngest madam took Woo Gwang Chemical?”

“Wasn’t it a given that President Shim would take back Taeseong Chemical?”

“I heard President Shim has taken over as president of JH Investment Company?”

President Shim, who had grown Taeseong Chemical, was one of the most outstanding managers in the field.

That’s why he caught Chairman Cha’s eye and landed a spot among his closest aides.

When he handed Taeseong Chemical over to Woo Gwang, was there a single one of Chairman Cha’s four children who didn’t covet it?

Not one.

And where did President Shim choose to go?

That was none other than JH Investment Company.

“What’s this about JH Investment Company acquiring all the subsidiaries except Woo Gwang Chemical?”

“And I heard the JH Investment Company’s executives are actually the ousted former Taeseong Construction execs?”

“What on earth is going on here?”

The eyes of Taeseong Group’s executives began to turn toward JH Investment Company.